June 16. On this date in 1912, a newspaper story in The Anaconda Standard of Montclair, New Jersey, introduced "‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the Persian religious leader and spiritual and temporal head of the 14,000,000 of Bahá’ís scattered throughout the world."

 

June 16. On this date in 1912, a newspaper story in The Anaconda Standard of Montclair, New Jersey, introduced "‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the Persian religious leader and spiritual and temporal head of the 14,000,000 of Bahá’ís scattered throughout the world."

‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the Persian religious leader and spiritual and temporal head of the 14,000,000 of Bahá’ís scattered throughout the world, will not return to his native land. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the son of the founder of the Bahá’í sect, came to America to address the Lake Mohonk peace conference and the American congress of Bahá’ís in Chicago, expecting to leave this month on the return journey to Persia. The venerable prophet has been so pleased with his reception in America that he has decided to stay and will today take up his home at 11 Bradford place, Montclair, N. J. There are about 50 Bahá’ís in the Jersey suburb. The venerable prophet has spent 40 of his 70 years in prison because of his religious beliefs, which are somewhat similar to theosophy in that they inculcate the spirit of universal brotherhood and the unity of all religions, without having any specific creed.